The present invention relates to fixtures for supporting components to facilitate assembly of the components to one another, and particularly to fixtures for supporting components on a work bench. More particularly, the present invention relates to fixtures for supporting components of a prototype vehicle exhaust system during assembly of the system.
When creating prototype vehicle exhaust systems, it is common practice to design fixtures and gauges which can be used to ensure that the components of the prototype exhaust system meet design specifications. Exhaust systems typically wind their way between, through, and around other automotive components of the vehicles to which they are attached.
Not only must exhaust components wind around, between, and through various automobile components, but the exhaust components must also be suspended from the vehicle so as to avoid contact with the other automobile components during normal use. To accomplish this goal, exhaust systems must contain bends in specific locations. Individual components of the exhaust system must meet engineering tolerances as to length of the components and location of a longitudinal axis of the component. To ensure that the completed exhaust system will fit onto the vehicle that it is designed to be used upon without contacting other automotive components, the exhaust components must be manufactured within certain specifications and coupled to each other in the proper orientation.
According to the present invention, a fixture is provided for interacting with an exhaust system. The fixture includes a stand placed at a specified location and a module placed at a specified location relative to the stand.
In preferred embodiments, the fixture interacts with an image of the exhaust system displayed on a working surface. The image includes location indicia locating the fixture on the image. Displacement data associated with the location indicia is provided to indicate an alignment point in space above the image. The stand of the fixture includes an alignment mark. The stand is adapted to lie on the working surface in a selected position relative to the image. The alignment mark is adapted to align the stand with the location indicia on the image. The module of the fixture defines a coordinate point that moves relative to the stand and drawing in response to movement of the module relative to the stand. The module is coupled to the stand for movement relative to the stand to position the coordinate point of the module at the alignment point in space above the image so that the module is moved to assume a selected position relative to the stand.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.